A More Profound Bond
by Crimson Eyed Sakura
Summary: When Sam's wall came down and he began remembering his time in the Cage, everyone assumed that Lucifer had used him as a torture toy. Sam thought so, too, until he began to see himself in his memories of the Cage. In which a bond between an angel and a human saves one of them from hell. But it's not the ones you're thinking of.


So this is a WIP that I've been working on for forever long, just adding bits and pieces as I went. I have too many WIPs, and this seemed the easiest to end, so here we are. Enjoy!

* * *

The Bible tells us that archangels are fierce. Absolute. Heaven's mightiest weapon.

It doesn't tell us that God gave them a special ability. Much like reapers, archangels are able to guide souls to Heaven or Hell.

This is especially true of beings that said archangels have killed. In the war on the nephilim, Gabriel had guided the souls of the halflings to Purgatory. In the civil war in Heaven, Raphael had sadly escorted the wayward angels back into the ether, perhaps one day to be reincarnated.

Lucifer had used this ability to send Gabriel's soul to the Cage. In a fit of brotherly piqué, he wanted the younger archangel to know how it had felt to be trapped there for an eternity. To never again feel the presence of their Father, of other angels.

When Lucifer himself was dragged back into the cage, he blamed Gabriel. If he hadn't sacrificed himself for the Winchesters, they wouldn't have had the opportunity to run away, to fight back.

When Sam's wall came down and he began remembering his time in the Cage, everyone assumed that Lucifer had used him as a torture toy. Sam thought so, too, until he began to see himself in his memories of the Cage.

At first he was confused. He began to think that Lucifer was tricking him again. When he stopped seeing visions of the fallen angel but was still seeing visions that couldn't have possibly been from his own point of view, he started pushing.

Much like the wall, it hurt to remember. Whenever he caught flashes of memory, he kept digging.

Dean would see his white face, his nose dripping blood, and freak out.

"Sam, this has to stop! You're killing yourself and for what? Memories of you being tortured?"

"There's something there, Dean! Something I have to remember!" Sam protested even as he gasped for breath through remembered pain.

Before he could grasp whatever it was that was eluding him, the memory disappeared.

This went on for weeks, until Sam grew desperate for answers. One night while Dean was sleeping, Sam snuck out and drove to the nearest hoodoo shop. There, he consulted with the owner and agreed to let her hypnotize him.

An hour later, he was settled on a bed in the back of the shop. Much like Pamela and Anna, he was coaxed into the hypnotic state. The hoodoo woman began to ask him about his time in the Cage.

"Look around you, Sam. What do you see?"

"Flames. Fire, burning through me. There's three bright lights, swirling around. A smaller light - no. My brother, Adam. He's across from me."

"Good. Focus on your memories, now. The ones that aren't from your perspective. What do you see now?"

"I see myself, screaming. I'm reaching out to me, but -" Sam's word cut off with a gasp as he recoiled as best he could.

"What is it, Sam? What do you see?"

"Lucifer's blocking my path. I can't get to Sam. Can't save Sam. Move, Lucifer!"

Lost in someone else's memories, Sam heard Lucifer speak back. "I don't think so. He's my personal chew toy now, brother. And you get to watch as I tear your precious Winchester's mind and body apart again and again."

Sam cried out. "No! I won't let you! Leave him alone!"

The hoodoo woman's brows furrowed. Sam wasn't Sam anymore. He was channeling someone else to the point of reliving that person's memories. She leaned forward and placed a hand on the hunter's head. "Ah," she thought as she felt the second presence. She reached deep within Sam's mind and tugged gently to bring the other closer to the surface.

Sam gasped as if in pain. "No! Don't hurt him. Please don't hurt him. GABRIEL!"

The hunter bolted upright. His eyes were wild and his hands shook as he reached for his things. "I have to go. Thank you so much."

"Wait! You can't drive in your condition! You shouldn't even be awake now," the woman protested.

"I have to go," Sam repeated. He made his way to the Impala and sat for a few moments behind the wheel.

Gabriel was in the cage. Gabriel tried to save him. Gabriel needed his help.

A new determination filled him. Sam squared his jaw and began the drive back to Dean.

Dean was waiting when he got back. Without even waiting for his brother's tirade about driving Baby, Sam began throwing his things into his duffle and spoke as he worked.

"Gabriel is in the cage. That's what I kept trying to remember. We need to get to Bobby's and get started on- Aghh-" Sam's words halted and a choked off yell escaped his throat.

"Sam? Sammy?" Dean hurried to Sam's side and helped brace his younger brother as Sam gripped his head with both hands.

"I can see...Lucifer. And Michael. They're fighting. Shit!" Sam exclaimed. His hand darted to his cheek. A sliver of a cut appeared.

"Sam, what the hell?"

"Lucifer. He cut Gabriel."

"Why the hell is your cheek cut, then?" Dean demanded.

Sam sat heavily on the bed. "Maybe the hoodoo woman made a link between us?"

"Hoodoo woman? Sam, you have got to be kidding me. You know better than that!"

"I had to do something, Dean! And I'm glad I did. Now help me. Please," Sam begged.

Dean sighed and ran a hand through his hair. The please did him in. Sam hardly ever asked for anything for himself. "Fine. I'll get our shit together. Just...sit there and don't pass out. I'm not lugging your Sasquatch ass to the car."

Sam smiled and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. Waiting for Dean to finish packing, he felt that strange tugging feeling that had preceded the moment of merging with Gabriel. The hunter not-quite-casually threw himself backwards to keep from falling on his face.

Moments later, he was back in the cage, listening to Lucifer's taunts.

"Surely you didn't think that death would be an escape, little brother. You betrayed me; I had to punish you. It's what our Father would have done."

Sam's mouth formed Gabriel's words. "You're still acting like a spoiled child, Lucy. I didn't betray you. I saved them. I did our Father's work. Once he realizes what you did, I'm out of here. And you and Michael can have your pissing match for the rest of eternity."

Lucifer backhanded Gabriel/Sam. Sam felt a tooth loosen and blood fill his mouth. Gabriel spat the blood in Lucifer's face. Rage filled the fallen angel's face but he held back from any further action. "You will give in. You will lose hope. You will spend the rest of eternity knowing that Daddy didn't love you enough to save you."

Sam felt a tear roll down his own cheek at the words, but Gabriel's face remained dry.

"Sam, what the fuck. Wake up!" Dean screamed.

Sam groaned and sat up slowly. He grimaced as he tongued the tooth that Lucifer had loosened in Gabriel's mouth. Blood welled from Sam's own loose tooth and he leaned over quickly to empty his belly into the bedside trash can.

"Dammit Sam. We're going to a hospital. Let's go."

"No. Gotta get...to Bobby's." Sam's tone told Dean how determined he was.

"Fine. I'll be right back." Dean hurried to take their things to the car and came back to haul Sam to his feet and guide his giant ass to the front seat of the car.

During the four hour drive to Bobby's, Sam had three more episodes. The third one lasted half an hour. Thirty minutes of hearing his brother speaking to Lucifer, of Sammy crying out in pain and random wounds appearing on him. Dean kept casting worried glances in Sam's direction as he broke every traffic law to get them to Bobby's.

As he pulled in the junk yard, Sam began muttering before crying out and grasping behind his back. Tears rolled down his face as he scrabbled and clawed at his back, eyes unseeing as they stared ahead.

Dean layed on the horn and cursed as he skidded to a stop in front of the house. "Bobby! Bobby, I need help!"

The older hunter came barreling from the house with a shotgun in one hand and a phone in the other. When he saw Sam's condition, he dropped both without a care and rushed to help Dean. They made their way into the den and laid Sam on the couch there. He was still crying, whimpering every once in a while.

Dean cast a worried look at Bobby before moving to roll Sam onto his stomach and pull his shirt up. What he saw made him feel sick.

Blood welled from three gashes on each side of his back. Not just gashes. It looked like something had been ripped from Sam's back. Something like...

"Wings. Oh, god. Gabriel's wings."

"Gabriel? What are you on about, boy? What the hell's the matter with Sam?"

Dean swallowed hard. "Sam's got some kind of link to Gabriel. They were both in the Cage. Sam keeps having fits where he sees and hears and feels what happens to Gabriel."

Bobby stared incredulously. "What?"

Dean made a frustrated noise. "I don't know, Bobby! All I know is that he goes twilight zone and cuts and bruises appear on him. And apparently the aftermath of having your wings ripped off," he said bitterly with a gesture to Sam's back.

Amazingly, though, the gashes began to heal before their eyes. It took a full five minutes, but all that was left after was a scar where each gash had been. Sam began to breathe easier as the wounds healed. Once they were completely healed, Dean turned Sam back over and pulled a blanket over him before standing and heading for Bobby's liquor. He bolted down a tumbler of whiskey before pouring another generous measure and handing the bottle to Bobby.

The older hunter still looked somewhat shell-shocked.

Dean felt the hysteria of the situation rising up inside him but refused to let it show. Instead, he took another gulp of the alcohol and clunked his glass down on Bobby's desk. "What the hell do we do, Bobby?"

"What can we do? If feathers is still kicking in the cage and sending his hurts to Sam, we need to break whatever connection they have."

"What if we can't? Can we get Gabriel out?" Dean asked seriously. He never thought he'd be in favor of saving the dickish angel.

"Not by ourselves, no. But we'll think of something. Dean, we may need to lock Sam in the panic room. Just so he doesn't hurt himself - or us - in one of his fits." When the younger man didn't answer, Bobby tried a different tack. "And most of my first aid stuff is down there. You know, in case he gets more second hand injuries."

Dean sighed, but eventually nodded. "Yeah, 's a good idea, Bobby. I'll take him down in a few minutes." The younger hunter dragged a chair to Sam's side and sat down, waiting for his brother to show signs of waking up. Bobby finished his glass and left the room, understanding Dean's silent wish to be alone with Sam.

So Bobby made his way to the basement and began setting up the panic room for Sam's extended stay. A whisper of sound at the door had the old hunter whirling around. Crowley stood in the doorway.

"A little birdie told me that the Moose is in trouble. Care to enlighten me?"

Bobby glared. "No. Now go away, before the boys see you. They ain't your number one fans at the moment."

"Now, Robert. Is that any way to treat an old friend?"

"Old friend, my ass," Bobby snorted.

"You dismiss our kiss so readily?" Crowley asked with a hand on his heart and a mocking expression.

"A gesture to seal a demon deal is not something I look back on fondly," the hunter shot back as he turned back to sorting the medical supplies.

"I really am here to help," the king of hell claimed, suddenly serious. "There's a rumor going around that he's sharing injuries with someone in Lucifer's cage."

"Why does it matter to you?" Dean barked as he stepped onto the floor of the basement.

Crowley turned and raised his brows at Dean. "I came to offer my services."

"Oh yeah? At what cost?" Dean asked sharply.

"For you knuckleheads? Free. I have a soft spot for you two for some awful reason."

"What can you even do to help?" Dean challenged.

Crowley rolled his eyes. "I'm currently the king of hell. Where's the Cage? Oh, yes. _In hell_. Quite simple, really."

"I don't trust you."

"Oh, please don't; it would invariably come back to bite you quite harshly on the ass. But do keep in mind that this is a one-time thing and is on a time limit. I'll give you until, say, tomorrow afternoon to talk amongst yourselves." With that, Crowley was gone.

Bobby kept his back turned to Dean, letting the younger hunter stew in his thoughts for a few minutes. "It's not such a bad deal, Dean."

The hunter turned incredulous eyes on Bobby. "Are you kidding me?! He's the _king_ of _Hell_. He's a demon, Bobby, you know he's lying to us!"

"We may not have another option, boy. If we want to fix your brother's grapefruit, we might have to take some risks." For all his words, the older hunter looked frustrated.

Dean ran a hand through his hair. "I don't like it, Bobby."

"Neither do I, but we might not have a choice."

Silence reigned as both hunters tried to come to terms with what was quickly looking like their only option.

 **%%%%%%**

In his delirium, Sam was completely unaware that he was at Bobby's, that the gruff old hunter was talking to a demon, and that Dean was desperate enough to accept help from the new king of hell.

Sam was only aware of the torment that Lucifer and Michael were putting Gabriel through. He felt every blow, every stinging slash of angel blade steel. His heart ached for the angel he was beginning to care for.

At his worst, he heard that deep, silky voice speaking to him in pants and gasps.

 _"Sam, no. I...never meant...for this to...happen. So-sorry, kiddo."_

The normally-authoritative tone was subdued, broken. Sam's heart tore at how badly Gabriel must be hurt. Wanting nothing more than to comfort the angel, Sam felt himself move. When he opened his eyes, he was inside the Cage. A moment of hysteria washed over him, but the sight of Gabriel's beaten and bloody form grounded him.

Ignoring the phantom pains of the flames flickering over him, Sam reached out to Gabriel. The angel painstakingly stretched his own arm to meet Sam, his breath catching at the pain of moving with so many wounds. "What are you...doing here?" he grunted.

"I came to save you. I'm taking you home." Sam didn't know where the words came from. He hadn't been thinking them, had been aiming to say something else entirely. But as he said them, he felt their truth. Instead of worrying about it, Sam simply pulled the angel close and held tight.

As Gabriel's arms locked around Sam, a blinding light began to grow between them. It enveloped them, glowing brighter and brighter with every second. Sam thought he heard echoed screams, felt Gabriel stiffen in his arms. He tightened his own arms and lowered his head to whisper encouragement to the angel.

Moments later, the two were gone.

 **#######**

Back at Bobby's, Dean was freaking out. "Where the hell did he go, Bobby?! He couldn't have just up and walked away - he wasn't even conscious!"

Bobby glared, but was feeling just as worried. "I don't know where he went, boy, but your yelling ain't solving nothing. Now shut up and come grab a book. Get to reading."

For nearly an hour they scoured the books, hoping to find something - _anything_ \- to help. In the end, they didn't need it. Between one moment and the next, Sam was back, laying on the little cot like nothing had happened. Only it obviously had, since he had an archangelic hanger-on. Bobby cursed at their sudden appearance while Dean rushed to Sam immediately, noticing that his wounds were disappearing.

As were Gabriel's. Before his eyes, the gashes on Gabriel's back, visible through his tattered clothing, healed into nothing. Sam's bruises and slashes were gone, too.

Within a few minutes, both men were completely healed.

Shortly after this, they both woke up. Gabriel woke with a gasp, haunted eyes darting around the room as he shook like a leaf. Dean thought that his grip on Sam's shirt was the only thing keeping him from falling out of bed. Sam woke more peacefully, but was immediately focused on Gabriel. He gathered the angel close and whispered in his ear, rubbing a hand up and down his back. Slowly, the archangel calmed. He still trembled, but it was less so.

However, when Sam moved to sit up, Gabriel cried out wordlessly and hunched forward, trying to burrow closer to the human. Sam frowned and wrapped his arms more tightly around the smaller man, glancing up once he realized they weren't alone.

Bobby was staring at the two with a puzzled look on his face, while Dean's expression was more angry than curious.

"Sam, what the fuck?! Where the hell did you go?" Dean demanded of his brother.

Sam flinched at the anger in Dean's voice, his arms tightening on Gabriel as the angel tensed and clutched harder at Sam. He ignored the other hunters, focusing his attention on Gabriel for the moment. When Dean opened his mouth to speak again, Sam silenced him with a glare. "It's okay," he said gently. "We're safe. _You're_ safe. It's okay, Gabriel. I promise, I won't let anything happen to you."

For a long time, Gabriel stayed tense enough to mimic a plank of wood. Finally, his fingers loosened slightly. The angel took a deep, shuddering breath and looked up at Sam. The hunter smiled and rubbed a hand up and down Gabriel's back. "That's it. You're okay, Gabriel. Just breathe." With his other hand, Sam made shooing motions to the other hunters. Dean made a sour face as Bobby gripped his sleeve and tugged him into the living room.

As soon as they were gone, Sam sat up, pulling Gabriel with him to avoid freaking him out again. They ended up with Gabriel sitting in Sam's lap, still holding onto Sam with loose fingers. Ever the compassionate soul, Sam held the angel close and whispered reassuring and nonsensical things to comfort him. It helped comfort himself, too. After having spent the last few weeks haunted by the knowledge that he was missing something, and then the last few hours worrying about the man in his lap, having him here in his arms was a definite balm.

For a long while, they simply sat there and took in the comfort of not being alone. Finally, Sam gently maneuvered Gabriel until the angel was sitting beside him. "Gabe, I need to go talk to Dean and Bobby. I'll be right back, okay?"

Gabriel's whiskey-colored eyes widened, but he jerkily nodded his head and tried to make his fingers let go of Sam's shirt. The hunter smiled and reached up to help, gripping Gabriel's fingers for a second after he had loosened the digits. "I promise, I'll be right back. And I'm just in the other room. You can yell if you need me." Sam stood, still holding onto Gabriel's hands. As he straightened, the point of contact stretched, their hands drifting apart until only their fingertips touched.

As they finally relinquished that last bit of contact, Sam felt his stomach drop to his toes. A feeling of dread washed over him so intense that it nearly brought him to his knees. Gabriel didn't seem to be faring any better if the whimper that escaped him was any sign. Sam was shaking as he reached back to place his hand on the archangel's shoulder. Immediately, the dread dissipated and Sam could once again breathe.

Just to test out the sudden theory forming in his mind, he lifted his hand, cutting off the contact. This time, the sick feeling had him wobbling and on the verge of falling over before he could re-establish the grip on Gabriel's shoulder.

His voice slightly shaky, Sam spoke up. "So maybe we don't stop touching just yet," he said.

Gabriel nodded, his own fingers inching up to grip at Sam's sleeve. The hunter sat back down, and Gabriel immediately scooted closer, unwilling to let the absolute fear from moments before wash over him again.

"Dean, Bobby, will you two come here?" Sam called out.

Footsteps echoed on the wood floors as the two older hunters came back into the room.

"What is it, boy?" Bobby asked gruffly, taking in the limpet hanging onto Sam.

Dean rolled his eyes at their close contact, but he said nothing.

"I think we may have a bigger problem than where and how I went. There's some sort of connection between us that seems to rely on physical contact," Sam said clinically.

"And?" Dean asked shortly.

"I mean, if we aren't touching, it nearly incapacitates us both," Sam explained. "I was going to come in there to talk to you guys, but I could barely stand up once I let go of Gabriel."

" _Balls_ ," Bobby cursed.

* * *

Two hours later, the three of them - not counting Gabriel, since he was in no condition to be researching - had still found nothing.

"There has to be _something_ out there!" Dean said forcefully as he tossed the tome in front of him back to the table.

"Careful, boy. That book's older'n all of us combined! Except maybe him," Bobby said with a nod at Gabriel, "but then he's got just about all creation beat on that account."

Gabriel managed a slight smirk, but mostly just clutched tightly to Sam. Sam didn't mind the archangel's limpet-like behavior, especially considering the reaction they both had to relinquishing contact.

"I think we're gonna call it a night. I'm exhausted, and I'm sure Gabriel isn't feeling much better," Sam said, nodding at the archangel. The powerhouse was currently nodding off, his head jerking up every few seconds in an attempt to stay awake.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Fine. Leave this to us. You can go take a nap and cuddle with your new boyfriend."

Bobby, catching the slightly hurt look on Sam's face, slapped Dean on the back of the head. "You need to learn this stuff, boy. I ain't gonna be around forever."

"Aww, Bobby, don't talk like that."

"Price of the life, Dean. It's a miracle I've lasted this long." With a sigh, he closed the book in front of him. "Sam's got the right idea. Let's all get some sleep and we can get an early start in the morning with fresh eyes."

Sam felt gratitude wash through him at Bobby's words. Grasping tightly to Gabriel's hand, he murmured his goodnights and led them out the door and down the hall. Still, he heard when Bobby jumped Dean's ass.

"Dean, you are about the biggest brat I know. Your brother literally went to hell a few _hours_ ago, and you're bitching at him because he's _tired_? Be glad you're too old to turn over my knee."

Turning to head up the stairs, Sam didn't hear Dean's reply.

Once in his room, Sam realized they had another problem. The bed was simply too small. It had always been a struggle for Sam's tall self anyways, but he could usually scrunch up and be somewhat comfortable. But there was no way to add Gabriel to the mix. Gabriel look back and forth, from Sam to the bed, then back to Sam. With a frown on his face, he looked back to the small bed and focused intensely.

He snapped his fingers, looking put out when nothing happened. Before he could strain himself, Sam quickly grasped his snapping hand. "It's okay. I'll just sleep on the floor."

Gabriel raised a dubious brow and lifted their tangled hands.

Sam lifted his free hand and scratched the back of his head. "We could tape our hands together?" he said with a laugh.

Gabriel rolled his eyes and turned back to the bed. With every bit of Grace and willpower he could muster, Gabriel focused once more and snapped his fingers. The bed morphed into a queen size, but Gabriel immediately collapsed, gasping for breath.

"Gabriel!" Sam cried out, hurriedly wrapping an arm around the archangel's waist. When the smaller man didn't reply, Sam lifted him and laid him on the bed. "Stubborn angel," he said softly. With a shake of his head, Sam set to getting the angel out of his ruined clothing. With every inch of skin revealed, Sam felt his breath quickening.

He'd never realized how attractive Gabriel was, especially with the angel wearing enough layers to be considered a Winchester. But now, as Sam stripped the shorter man, he saw a tanned, toned body with, admittedly, a bit of pudge in the belly. But the rest of him was surprisingly fit. And Sam had never seen anything so beautiful. With the amount of skin being revealed, it was easy to keep contact with Gabriel, but it was becoming harder and harder to keep his touch clinical. Finally, the angel was down to his boxers.

Sam struggled one-handedly to strip down himself before crawling into bed. As soon as he was comfortable, he reached over and tugged Gabriel closer. The angel grunted and turned his head toward Sam. In moments, Sam was asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Sam woke to find Gabriel grinning down at him. The angel still looked a little wan, but the smile on his face told Sam that he was at least mostly back to normal. The hunter smiled back at Gabriel easily, stretching a bit as he woke completely.

"Morning, Samshine. Like something you see?" the angel queried. When Sam looked confused, Gabriel's grin widened as he nodded toward Sam's waist.

And the erection on prominent display.

Sam blushed but made no moves to cover himself. He refused to be embarrassed when Gabriel seemed to behaving the same problem. "I don't know," the hunter retorted. "Do you?"

Gabriel stared at him for a long moment before throwing back his head and _howling_ with laughter. "Fuck, I like you, kid."

Sam grinned, liking the sound of Gabriel's laughter. "I think...I think I like you, too, Gabriel."

"I'm glad, since it would make this whole constant contact thing a lot more awkward than it already is." Gabriel gestured down to where his foot was casually propped on Sam's shin.

Sam, no longer distracted by pain or visions of Hell, began pondering."I wonder why that is. What could have happened down there to make this the outcome?"

Gabriel snorted. "Whatever it was, it can't be good for either of us. I feel like we've both been yanked around enough already."

Sam sighed, inclined to agree. "Maybe not, but I'm afraid you're probably right. Either way, we can't solve anything by just laying here."

With a waggle of his brows and a lascivious grin, Gabriel said, "I'm sure there's plenty we could solve."

Shaking his head, Sam laughed and sat up, tugging Gabriel along. "Let's go, Gabe. I'm hungry."

Standing and moving forward, Sam missed the astonished look on the archangel's face. _"He called me Gabe. Haven't been called that in a loooong time."_ He blinked and felt a smile tug at his lips. It was nice to be wanted.

That feeling lasted as long as it took the two of them to make it downstairs. Bobby was holed up in the study, poring over mounds of books, while Dean was in the living room, cleaning what seemed to be every weapon the three hunters owned.

Both seemed to be ignoring Sam and Gabriel. With a sigh, Sam headed for the fridge, tugging Gabriel along. Gabriel snorted and jerked Sam to a halt, snapping his fingers with his free hand. The minute use of his powers still had Gabriel gasping for breath.

"Idiot! Stop doing that!" Sam scolded him, tugging him close and wrapping his arms around the shorter man. The contact seemed to help ground him, his breath evening out slowly. Shaky hands came up to grasp at Sam's back, a self-deprecating laugh escaping the weakened angel.

"I think you may have a point, Sammich. This sucks," he moaned.

Sam smiled and patted Gabriel's back. "We'll figure this out. For now, just stop using your mojo."

Gabriel pulled back to grin up at him. "Can I make an Austin Powers joke?"

"Not on your life."

With a sigh, Gabriel followed Sam's lead as they sat at the now-loaded down table. They used their free hands to load their plates and eat, holding hands between them, propped on the table. Eventually, drawn by the smell of food, Dean wandered in.

With a flickered glance at their clasped hands, Dean grabbed a plate and began piling food on. He sat down across from Sam and tucked in with gusto. Sam was thankful for the reprieve from his brother's commentary, but he still wished that things could be different.

It wasn't like he'd chosen this. He hadn't wished to have such a connection to the archangel. But the funny thing was, he wouldn't change it. He hadn't had an opportunity to be so _intimate_ with another person in years. Fear for the other person's life certainly put a damper on things like hand-holding and hugs. Sam had gotten used to being alone, but he had never enjoyed it. Dean seemed to thrive on short-term flings, one-night stands, and middle-of-case happenstances. Sam had never been cut out for that.

Gabriel, picking up on Sam's melancholy, squeezed his hand lightly and offered a small smile when Sam looked his way.

The warm fluttering in Sam's chest did nothing to quell his panic. Instead, he swallowed the rising fear down with another bite of eggs and ignored the stare that Dean was leveling at him.

* * *

Something was going on, Gabriel knew. He wasn't sure what had changed or when, but suddenly Sam was acting as distantly as he could with the two of them still glued to each other by necessity. He'd caught the hunter staring at him with a barely-concealed look of terror more than once. Add to that the fact that he seemed to be testing their limits more and more, and Gabriel was starting to grow more and more hurt. But he kept quiet, letting everything roll over him as he slowly built his strength back up.

He'd taken to huddling inside a veritable nest of blankets, one extremity or another poking out in order to keep that constant contact. Sam would glance over at him and smile indulgently before that same look of terror would cross his face.

Dean and Bobby seemed no closer to finding out what was going on with their affliction, but Gabriel was definitely getting more and more fed up with the hot and cold of Sam's attention. Gabriel was now the one who attempted to stay apart longer and longer. Sam seemed confused by the sudden change, but never said a word about it.

By the time they'd managed to withstand thirty seconds apart, Gabriel himself was growing tired of not knowing. He assumed he had recharged enough Grace by now - his last usage of power had been the breakfast spread two weeks ago - to chance a peek inside at what was linking them together. He waited until Sam was asleep that night, since he didn't want any nosy questions about what he was doing. As he closed his eyes and transcended the mortal plane, shock jolted through him.

 _Sam had come, too_.

"What the fuck," Gabriel whispered to himself. Still asleep, Sam's form - wispy and translucent but _there_ \- floated alongside Gabriel, hand still clasped in the angel's as it was in the physical world.

It shouldn't be possible. There should have been no way that Sam's mortal soul could join Gabriel's celestial presence in another plane, but there he was. Shaken and not willing to jeopardize either of them, Gabriel quickly led them both back to the mortal plane. Back safely in their bodies, Gabriel stared down at Sam with a thoughtful frown.

Why would Sam's soul have automatically followed him? Did it have something to do with their forced need to touch? Gabriel sighed and settled further into bed, knowing he'd get no answers until Sam was awake. With that in mind, he closed his eyes and slept.

* * *

The next day, Gabriel tried multiple times to bring up the odd experience, but he lost his nerve every time. And with Sam still acting distant, he grew less inclined to bother as the day wore on.

Bobby finally noticed the weird mood between the two, reaching the end of his tether by lunch. "I don't know what's gotten into either of you, but it's not helping us figure anything out. So stop moping, stop acting like the other one has the plague, and get to looking."

Chastened, Sam ducked his head and murmured his agreement. Gabriel huffed and flipped the page of the book he was looking through. A moment later, he slammed it shut.

"I think I know what happened."

Three pairs of eyes darted to him, waiting for him to continue.

"Somehow, Sam and I forged a soul bond. Don't ask how or when, because you got me there. But when I projected onto the astral plane to see how far into my Grace this thing is tangled, his soul came, too."

"I don't remember that," Sam denied immediately.

"Duh, you were asleep."

"What the fuck does that mean?" Dean demanded.

Ever full of snark, Gabriel countered, "It's when your body shuts down for the night to rest and regenerate."

"Okay, smartass," Bobby interrupted. "What does that mean for _you two_."

"Well, from what limited experience I have with these, it's irreversible. But the touchy-feely should fade soon."

"What took you so long to speak up about this?" Sam asked quietly.

"Our little astral trip was last night, so I haven't been holding out on you. Just didn't know how to bring it up once I did know," Gabriel replied, serious for once.

"What does this mean for the future?" Sam wondered aloud.

"Like I said, it's irreversible. You're stuck with me, kiddo."

Despite the continuing freakouts Sam was experiencing, he caught himself thinking that maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be stuck with Gabriel. Still, he directed a bitchface at the angel, letting him know that Sam was not satisfied with the repeated answer.

Gabriel rolled his eyes but added, "Your soul is bound to mine - well, to my Grace. You'll have a longer life than most humans, and when you do die, your soul won't go to Heaven or to Hell. It'll stay with me. Unless you want differently. As an archangel, I can probably fudge that a little bit."

"Probably?" Dean scoffed.

"Excuse me for never having been in this situation before. I'm kind of winging it here, pun fully intended."

Sam snorted at the lame joke, prompting Gabriel to smile winsomely at the hunter - who tried to ignore the warm, fluttery feeling that blossomed in his belly at the sight of said smile.

Honestly, Sam wasn't sure how to feel. He'd never asked for this bond, had never expected it. When he'd begun having the visions of Gabriel, he'd simply wanted to save him. Still, he'd always had quite the crush on the angel, even after the multitude of Tuesdays and the TV stunts. Actually, the TV stunts made Sam like him _more,_ showing off that sense of humor that Sam secretly loved.

Gabriel smirked and winked at Sam, filling the hunter with horror that he'd been broadcasting his thoughts. Gabriel's voice entered his head a moment later. _"Just to me, Sammich. And just because of the bond."_

Instead of reassuring Sam, the knowledge made his horror grow worse. Sam groaned and let his face fall into his hands, not wishing to see the look of _I know all your secrets_ on Gabriel's face. Just to spiteful, he directed a thought toward the angel. _"You suck_ ," he complained.

 _"Wouldn't you like to find out,"_ came the snarky reply. Gabriel snorted when Sam choked on air and sent him an incredulous look.

"Okay, what the fuck. Seriously. Are you two having a secret conversation over there or something?"

"Actually yes, Dean-o. But we'll be good now, promise."

Dean rolled his eyes and grit his teeth, willing himself to keep his composure. "Is there anything bad going to happen to Sam because of this shit?" he asked. "Besides the obvious, I mean," he added for good measure.

Gabriel stuck out his tongue in a childish fit of pique before turning more serious. "I can't say for certain. Being male certainly helps matters, since there's no concern of Nephilim. But demons wanting to hurt me? Even angels who find out I'm alive and want some leverage? That's not off the table."

"So, just another day as a Winchester?" Sam snarked, thinking of all the times he'd been used as leverage against Dean and vice versa.

Gabriel snorted and agreed, "Pretty much. Maybe a little more often than usual once I gain enough strength to come back up on the radar. I'll add to the wardings Cassie already marked you with, make it even harder for anyone to find you." He jolted when Sam's hand suddenly found his, linking their fingers together and running his thumb over the back of Gabriel's hand.

Sam tried to send over his feelings of warmth and thanks, eyes widening when he felt the foreign emotions of awe and just a hint of shyness. His eyes met Gabriel's and they shared a secret smile. Sam wasn't sure what the future would hold, but he was sure that he could handle it.

After all, he had an archangel at his side.

* * *

Honestly, this could easily be expanded into a chaptered story, but I'm going to mark it as complete since I have no immediate plans to add to it. Hope you enjoyed!


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